General Secretary and President Lam affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to its friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation with Thailand, expressing his hope that the two nations will continue to work together, support each other’s development, and contribute to regional peace, stability, and growth.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam held talks with King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, following the official welcoming ceremony for the King and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana in Hanoi on September 15 morning.

General Secretary and President Lam welcomed the King, the Queen, and the Thai Royal delegation on their state visit to Vietnam. He emphasised the historic significance of this visit – the first by a Thai King in 50 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1976 – noting it as a crucial milestone in the fine and traditional friendship between Vietnam and Thailand, particularly following the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025.

The top Vietnamese leader expressed sincere gratitude to the King and the Queen for the respectful, thoughtful, and warm reception extended to him, his spouse, and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation during their official visit to Thailand in May 2026.

General Secretary and President Lam congratulated the Kingdom of Thailand on the outstanding achievements attained under the King’s wise reign regarding stability and socio-economic development, maintaining Thailand’s status as a major economy in Southeast Asia and a leading global tourism powerhouse. He also highly valued the role of the King and the Royal Family in strengthening national unity, maintaining stability, fostering community development, and improving the people’s quality of life.

General Secretary and President Lam affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to its friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation with Thailand, expressing his hope that the two nations will continue to work together, support each other’s development, and contribute to regional peace, stability, and growth.

The King expressed his delight at returning to Vietnam and highly evaluated the country’s progress in national development and the improvement of its people’s living standards. He thanked the State, Government, and people of Vietnam for the respectful and warm welcome extended to him and the Queen. He described the visit as an opportunity to strengthen the bilateral ties and foster cooperation for mutual development, affirming that he and the Thai Royal Family remain deeply committed to nurturing the bonds between the two nations and their people, as well as consolidating Vietnam-Thailand cooperation across all sectors for the mutual benefit and development of both countries. The King emphasised that the fine relationship between Vietnam and Thailand would make a significant contribution to peace, stability, and shared development in the region.

Both leaders spoke highly of the positive strides in Vietnam-Thailand relations over the past 50 years, evolving from friendly neighbourliness to a Strategic Partnership in 2013 and upgrading to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025. They agreed to continue strengthening political trust by maintaining visits and contacts at all levels, effectively utilising cooperation mechanisms, and coordinating the successful implementation of the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Reflecting on the warm sentiments shared by the people of both nations and their cultural and traditional similarities, the two leaders agreed that the bond between their citizens serves as a crucial foundation for the positive and enduring development of Vietnam-Thailand relations, acting as a driving force for the continued growth of friendship between the two countries.

The two leaders agreed to direct the effective implementation of economic, trade, and investment cooperation; to vigorously promote people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation in education, culture, tourism, and transport connectivity; and to strengthen local-level cooperation and create substantive links, thereby deepening the bilateral relationship.

General Secretary and President Lam highly valued the activities and projects sponsored by the Thai Royal Family in the fields of education and community development in Vietnam, affirming that Vietnam would continue to cooperate and facilitate the effective implementation of these meaningful initiatives.

He expressed gratitude to the King and the Thai Royal Family for their warm sentiments toward Vietnam, particularly their care for the Vietnamese community in Thailand and their efforts to preserve the President Ho Chi Minh historical sites – symbols of great significance regarding history, cultural exchange, and the friendship between the two peoples.

Regarding regional and international affairs, the two leaders highly appreciated the coordination between Vietnam and Thailand at multilateral forums and within regional and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, agreeing to continue making active contributions to strengthening ASEAN’s solidarity, unity, and centrality.

The two leaders expressed their confidence that the state visit to Vietnam by the King and Queen of Thailand would further strengthen the friendship and political trust between the two nations, as well as mutual understanding between their people; create new momentum for the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to develop in an increasingly deep, substantive, effective, and sustainable manner; and contribute to building an exemplary cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Thailand.

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The meetings and exchanges helped strengthen political trust, bilateral cooperation and coordination at multilateral forums, while creating further momentum for Vietnam’s relations with partners and helping seize opportunities for national development.

 Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on September 13 held meetings and exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India.

At his meeting with President Putin, PM Hung thanked the Russian President, Government and people for their warm, thoughtful and respectful reception of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse during their recent state visit to the country.

He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will direct ministries and sectors to promptly implement the important outcomes of the visit and translate them into concrete and practical cooperation programmes.

President Putin applauded the positive outcomes of the state visit by the top Vietnamese leader, expressing his belief that the agreements reached will be effectively implemented, helping to further advance the Vietnam–Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

During his meetings with leaders of the countries and international organisations, PM Hung discussed measures to deepen Vietnam’s bilateral relations with the partners across various areas. The foreign leaders highly valued Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements and affirmed their wish to further strengthen practical and effective cooperation with the country.

The Vietnamese PM and the Indonesian, Philippine, and Malaysian leaders agreed to continue close coordination to contribute to the success of ASEAN Year 2026 under the chairmanship of the Philippines.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke highly of Vietnam’s growing role and stature, expressing his hope that the country will continue making active contributions to promoting multilateralism and addressing global challenges.

Meanwhile, the WHO Director-General welcomed Vietnam’s new policies and orientations on developing its healthcare system and affirmed the WHO’s readiness to work with the nation in achieving its healthcare development and sustainable socio-economic development goals.

The meetings and exchanges helped strengthen political trust, bilateral cooperation and coordination at multilateral forums, while creating further momentum for Vietnam’s relations with partners and helping seize opportunities for national development.

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The State visit to Vietnam by King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana holds not only political significance but also serves as a continuation of the friendship and close ties between the Thai Royal Family, Government and people and the Vietnamese Government and people.

King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana arrived in Hanoi on September 14, beginning their three-day State visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse.

At Noi Bai International Airport, the Thai King and Queen were welcomed by Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dai Thang, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung.​

The Thai royal couple are accompanied by Prime Minister and accompanying Minister Anutin Charnvirakul; Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Urawadee Sriphiromya; Air Chief Marshal Satitpong Sukvimol, His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary, Bureau of the Royal Household; among others.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the visit, Ambassador Hung said the trip holds special significance and marks a new milestone in the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand, which are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations this year.​

Since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1976, this is the first State visit to Vietnam by a Thai King and Queen. It is also the first by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida in their current roles.​

The King previously visited Vietnam in 1992 and 1997 as Crown Prince.​

This visit holds not only political significance but also serves as a continuation of the friendship and close ties between the Thai Royal Family, Government and people and the Vietnamese Government and people. Notably, it takes place as the two nations mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations (August 6, 1976 – 2026), one year after they upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The new framework has laid a foundation and provided fresh momentum for both sides to deepen their cooperation, making it more substantive and effective.

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Vietnam’s own development model centres on people, institutional reform, modern governance and science and technology, while ensuring harmony among economic growth, social equity and environmental protection, PM Hung said, affirming that Vietnam stands ready to work with BRICS in a spirit of responsibility, goodwill and substantive cooperation to create a peaceful, prosperous, sustainable and inclusive future for all countries and people.

Vietnam supports and wants BRICS to work closely with regional, inter-regional and global multilateral mechanisms to contribute to peace, stability and cooperation while creating equal and sustainable development opportunities for all countries, said Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.

Attending the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 13 in Vietnam’s capacity as a partner country, PM Hung said at a session themed “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth” that Vietnam wants BRICS to take a bigger role in driving dialogue and cooperation, building and consolidating trust, finding solutions to global challenges and advancing reforms of the multilateral system to better serve the interests of developing countries.

Having highly evaluating the priorities of “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, the Vietnamese leader put forth three major orientations for BRICS to uphold its role going forward.

First, he suggested moving from reacting to volatility to proactively building resilience and self-reliance of economies by bolstering cooperation and supporting developing countries in building flexible policymaking, governance and strategic forecasting capacity; improving labour productivity, economic resilience and dynamism; and preventing crises in a timely manner while proactively responding to shocks, particularly in the economic and financial spheres and current cross-border challenges.

Second, PM Hung proposed moving from simply scaling up cooperation toward renewing traditional growth drivers while building new, inclusive and sustainable ones. That means tighter trade and investment policy coordination, open markets, leveraging existing financial mechanisms and pooling long-term capital at reasonable cost so developing countries get more equitable access to capital for digital transformation and green transition.

Third, he said it is necessary to turn science-technology and innovation cooperation opportunities into concrete projects through joint studies, workforce training, technology transfer, with a focus on high-impact fields like artificial intelligence, digital technology, smart agriculture and clean energy.

Vietnam’s own development model centres on people, institutional reform, modern governance and science and technology, while ensuring harmony among economic growth, social equity and environmental protection, he said, affirming that Vietnam stands ready to work with BRICS in a spirit of responsibility, goodwill and substantive cooperation to create a peaceful, prosperous, sustainable and inclusive future for all countries and people.

PM Hung’s speech was highly welcomed by the host country and leaders attending the summit.

Indian PM Narendra Modi, this year’s BRICS Chair, presided over the summit, which drew heads of state and government, senior leaders from BRICS members and country partners, and heads of international organisations. It stood as the most important event of India’s 2026 BRICS chairmanship and marked 20 years since BRICS was founded.

Discussions spanned global and regional issues of common concern, including global governance reform, multilateral mechanisms, regional peace and stability, and sustainable, inclusive economic growth.

Leaders reaffirmed their determination to deepen cooperation across BRICS’s three pillars of politics-security, economy-finance, and culture and people-to-people ties in pursuit of peace and a more representative, equitable global order. They agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, finance, sci-tech, energy security, agriculture, food security, just energy transition, environment protection, health care and people-to-people exchanges.

They also stressed the need for stable energy markets, uninterrupted supply from diversified sources, and stronger resilience and protection for critical energy infrastructure./.

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Trung said the visits achieved the objectives and requirements set out, with important results for Vietnam’s relations with Russia and France as well as the country’s development in the new period.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam’s state visit to Russia, official visit to France and attendance at the International Space Summit from September 7-12 produced comprehensive and substantive outcomes, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung has said.

In an interview granted to the press following the trip, Trung said the visits achieved the objectives and requirements set out, with important results for Vietnam’s relations with Russia and France as well as the country’s development in the new period.

The trips were General Secretary and President Lam’s first visits to the two countries in his new position following the successful 14th National Party Congress, the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.

It also carried special significance as it was the first state visit to Russia by a top Vietnamese Party and State leader since 1991, and General Secretary and President Lam’s second official visit to France. His participation in the space summit was also significant, as it was the first international summit at the head-of-state level devoted to outer space, according to Trung.

The Vietnamese leader received warm and solemn welcome in both Russia and France, reflecting the importance the two countries have attached to relations with Vietnam and its Party and State leaders, the minister said.

During the visits, the Vietnamese top leader held talks and meetings with the highest-ranking leaders of both countries, representatives of political parties and leaders from various sectors, including businesses, academia, science and technology, and education. He also met with Vietnamese communities in the two countries.

Members of the Vietnamese delegation held substantive working sessions with their counterparts, contributing to concrete outcomes across a wide range of fields.

A notable outcome was the high level of consensus reached between Vietnam and the Russian and French leaders on issues of mutual concern, the achievements of bilateral relations and directions for future cooperation.

The exchanges helped enhance mutual understanding amid new developments in the regional and international situation, while further consolidating the high level of political trust established following the Vietnamese top leader’s historic visits to France in October 2024 and Russia in May 2025, Trung said.

Beyond political ties, the Vietnamese, Russian and French leaders placed strong emphasis on translating existing agreements into concrete results in such areas as economy, trade, investment, science and technology, and education and training.

Despite the relatively short duration of the trip, a wide range of cooperation programmes were discussed and recognised in the Vietnam-Russia and Vietnam-France joint statements, business forums, science and technology forums and cooperation documents signed during the visits.

Vietnam and Russia, as well as Vietnam and France, can fully leverage their cooperation potential to meet the requirements and interests of each party.

All three sides agreed that two-way trade and investment should grow further to match the comprehensive strategic partnership frameworks and the respective strengths and potential of the countries.

Science and technology emerged as a particularly promising area. Both Russia and France agreed that the sector should become a new breakthrough area in their cooperation with Vietnam.

General Secretary and President Lam called for a change in thinking and new approaches to economic and technological cooperation, a view that received strong support from the Russian and French sides.

Rather than focusing mainly on how much Vietnam imports from or exports to its partners, or on conventional technology transfer, Vietnam should work with Russia and France to conduct joint research, production and development of common products, while strengthening linkages and connecting supply chains, Trung said.

“This is a very important approach to guiding cooperation between Vietnam and Russia and between Vietnam and France in the coming period,” he noted.

Trung added that another highly significant point of the visits is that, through meetings and exchanges, the countries have gained a clear understanding and appreciation of Vietnam’s current approach, thereby reaching consensus to jointly implement it.

General Secretary and President Lam affirmed that the Vietnamese leaders and Government would direct relevant agencies to address individual projects and remove difficulties and obstacles where necessary, with the aim of producing concrete results and opening new avenues for cooperation, according to the minister.

The development of Vietnam – Russia and Vietnam – France relations contributes not only to the achievement of Vietnam’s socio-economic and scientific-technological development goals in the coming period. As Russia and France are both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, strengthening ties with the two countries will help Vietnam implement the foreign policy set out by the 14th National Party Congress, enhance its international standing and reinforce its external relations in the Asia-Pacific region and the wider world.

Closer cooperation with the two countries can also contribute to peace, stability and cooperation at regional and global levels, Trung said.

Regarding the International Space Summit in France, leaders from France, other nations, and international organisations highly appreciated the participation and significant address of the Vietnamese top leader, Trung said.

Turning agreements into concrete projects

The next priority is to ensure that the outcomes of the visits are translated into specific programmes, plans and projects.

First, Vietnamese ministries, sectors, localities, agencies and businesses, together with their Russian and French counterparts, should closely coordinate in developing action plans based on high-level agreements and common perceptions, Trung said.

Such plans should clearly identify tasks, timelines, focal points, responsibilities and expected results, with the practical interests of people and businesses on both sides as the ultimate goal and concrete outcomes as the measure of effectiveness.

Second, existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms should also be fully utilised. The sides need to conduct regular reviews, promptly address difficulties, closely monitor the implementation of high-level agreements and continue improving legal frameworks to facilitate key projects in strategic areas.

Third, the implementation of strategic and iconic projects should be prioritised. For Russia, priority should be given to strategic projects, including the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant project, oil and gas, energy, railway and logistics projects, as well as joint research, technology transfer and human resources training.

With France, Vietnam should continue to effectively implement the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), while actively addressing bottlenecks in trade, investment, market connectivity, logistics and supply chains. The two sides should create favourable conditions for businesses to participate more deeply in specific projects.

Forth, Vietnam will also strengthen coordination with the countries at international and regional forums, particularly the United Nations, ASEAN and other multilateral mechanisms in which Vietnam and its partners participate.

As a member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), Vietnam wishes to deepen cooperation with member states, including Russia and France, to promote the peaceful use of outer space and contribute to sustainable development.

Looking ahead, Trung expressed his confidence that, under the direction of the governments of the three countries and with continued efforts by relevant agencies, Vietnam, Russia and France will make full use of their potential and opportunities to bring bilateral relations into a new period of stronger and more effective development.

Such cooperation, he said, will contribute to the development of each country while better meeting the aspirations and interests of their people and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world./.

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The State visit to Russia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam reaffirmed the solid historical foundation and high level of political trust between the two countries – a valuable asset of the Vietnamese and Russian people.

The State visit to Russia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam on September 7-9 was a success, leaving a strong imprint across Party, State, parliamentary, and people-to-people channels and economic, science-technology and cultural areas.

It has also opened a new phase of deep and substantive cooperation, contributing to consolidating the Vietnam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

​The visit took place as Vietnam enters a new development period following the 14th National Party Congress, looking toward the goals of achieving double-digit growth and becoming a high-income nation by 2030 and 2045. It reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of attaching importance to relations with Russia, while creating fresh political momentum for aligning bilateral cooperation with the strategic development strategies of each country.

Russian historian Anton Bredikhin, senior researcher at the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia under the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that General Secretary and President Lam’s visit marked a new historic milestone, affirming the unwavering commitment and determination to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and close cooperation between the two countries.

During talks and meetings, leaders of the two countries reached broad consensus on strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with a high level of political and strategic trust; building balanced and sustainable economic, trade and investment ties; making defence-security cooperation a strategic pillar; treating energy and oil and gas as a strategic breakthrough; and making science-technology, innovation and human resources key drivers. Cultural and people-to-people exchanges were identified as bridges connecting the two nations.

The two sides also agreed to deepen cooperation in science, technology, education and training, while promoting joint research in nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, digital technology, AI, biotechnology, new materials, automation and high-tech agriculture, as well as technology transfer and exchanges among experts, scientists, universities, research institutes and technology enterprises.

Addressing the Vietnam-Russia science and technology forum, which saw the participation of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and nearly 500 experts and scientists of the two nations, General Secretary and President Lam called for new mindset, new approaches and higher goals, stressing that cooperation should move beyond expert exchanges towards jointly mastering technologies, creating products and joining markets. He said the two sides should focus on priority areas and strategic technologies such as nuclear energy, space and satellite technology, semiconductors and microelectronics, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, and new materials.

The Vietnamese leader also met leaders of AFK Sistema and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), encouraging investment and cooperation in high technology, cybersecurity, biometrics, smart cities, AI, big data, green transport, digital transformation, vaccine and next-generation biological product production, infrastructure, logistics and healthcare.

According to Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan, General Secretary and President Lam particularly emphasised the new pillar of cooperation: science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, focusing on how Vietnam can gradually research, acquire, master, and create strategic technologies to serve national development.

The Russian side agreed to expand funding for joint strategic research projects and support training in nuclear technology. Vietnam will, for the first time, be invited by the Russian government to send at least 50 young scientists to participate in the Young Scientists Congress in Russia in December.

In addition to political and economic activities, the visit also demonstrated the depth of ties between the two peoples, leaving a profound cultural and humanitarian imprint and fostering people-to-people exchanges.

In the framework of the visit, the Vietnamese delegation paid floral tribute at the monument to President Ho Chi Minh in Moscow and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers in Alexander Garden by the western wall of the Kremlin.

Meeting representatives of the Vietnamese community in Russia, General Secretary and President Lam stressed that the Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW identifies overseas Vietnamese as an important strategic resource and called on the community to strengthen solidarity and integration as well as promoting its bridging role.

The visit reaffirmed the solid historical foundation and high level of political trust between the two countries – a valuable asset of the Vietnamese and Russian people. Bilateral cooperation has gone beyond traditional areas and made breakthroughs in new fields to meet the requirements of the new development period, with expectations of creating a lasting imprint for the prosperity of the two nations and for peace and stability in the region and the world./.

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Vietnam and India are among the world’s fastest-growing economies and have highly complementary strengths, with substantial untapped potential for cooperation. They expressed determination to step up measures to achieve the target of 25 billion USD in bilateral trade at an early date and facilitate market access for products from both countries, particularly pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, fisheries and livestock products.

 Prime Minister Le Minh Hung held talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi on September 12 as part of his trip to India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit.

The Vietnamese leader conveyed the warm regards and best wishes from General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam to PM Narendra Modi and other senior Indian leaders.

He congratulated India and PM Narendra Modi personally on the success of the BRICS Summit 2026, as well as on the country’s outstanding socio-economic achievements. He expressed confidence that India would successfully implement its “Vision 2047” to become a developed country.

He spoke highly of PM Narendra Modi’s initiative on the Global South Voice Forum and affirmed Vietnam’s readiness to coordinate with India in contributing to BRICS initiatives in 2026, particularly in innovation, digital transformation, clean energy and sustainable development.

Against the backdrop of major shifts in the regional and global landscape, PM Hung underscored that Vietnam and India have remained close, steadfast and loyal friends. The elevation of bilateral ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit to India in May 2026 reflected the depth of bilateral relations, the maturity of political trust, shared visions and converging strategic interests, while opening up broad opportunities for future cooperation, he stated.

He noted that Vietnam and India share many similarities in their development orientations, policies and goals, creating opportunities for the two countries to advance cooperation across a wide range of areas.

PM Narendra Modi expressed his pleasure and warmly welcomed his Vietnamese counterpart to India. He praised Vietnam’s participation in BRICS, saying its attendance at the 18th BRICS Summit had helped elevate the stature of the gathering.

He recalled his deep impression of Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s May state visit and conveyed his regards to the top Vietnamese leader.
He highlighted the two countries’ long-standing traditional ties and their bonds forged through history, culture and civilisation, as well as similarities in their foreign policies and shared development vision. He affirmed that Vietnam is an important pillar of India’s Act East policy.

The two PMs welcomed the significant progress made in Vietnam-India ties. They noted that the 2024-2028 Action Programme and the outcomes of Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit are being actively implemented, and agreed to maintain the current strong momentum and high level of political trust.

They also agreed to maintain regular exchanges and coordination between the leaders of the two countries on bilateral, regional and international issues, looking ahead to the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.

The two leaders agreed that Vietnam and India are among the world’s fastest-growing economies and have highly complementary strengths, with substantial untapped potential for cooperation. They expressed determination to step up measures to achieve the target of 25 billion USD in bilateral trade at an early date and facilitate market access for products from both countries, particularly pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, fisheries and livestock products.

PM Hung proposed that the two sides establish economic corridors and supply chains to enhance connectivity between their economies, consider launching negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), and work actively with ASEAN member states to accelerate the completion of the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).

He welcomed major Indian corporations to invest in Vietnam in such areas as technology, infrastructure, energy and pharmaceuticals.

 Prime Minister Le Minh Hung held talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi on September 12 as part of his trip to India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit.

The Vietnamese leader conveyed the warm regards and best wishes from General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam to PM Narendra Modi and other senior Indian leaders.

He congratulated India and PM Narendra Modi personally on the success of the BRICS Summit 2026, as well as on the country’s outstanding socio-economic achievements. He expressed confidence that India would successfully implement its “Vision 2047” to become a developed country.

He spoke highly of PM Narendra Modi’s initiative on the Global South Voice Forum and affirmed Vietnam’s readiness to coordinate with India in contributing to BRICS initiatives in 2026, particularly in innovation, digital transformation, clean energy and sustainable development.

Against the backdrop of major shifts in the regional and global landscape, PM Hung underscored that Vietnam and India have remained close, steadfast and loyal friends. The elevation of bilateral ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit to India in May 2026 reflected the depth of bilateral relations, the maturity of political trust, shared visions and converging strategic interests, while opening up broad opportunities for future cooperation, he stated.

He noted that Vietnam and India share many similarities in their development orientations, policies and goals, creating opportunities for the two countries to advance cooperation across a wide range of areas.

PM Narendra Modi expressed his pleasure and warmly welcomed his Vietnamese counterpart to India. He praised Vietnam’s participation in BRICS, saying its attendance at the 18th BRICS Summit had helped elevate the stature of the gathering.

He recalled his deep impression of Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s May state visit and conveyed his regards to the top Vietnamese leader.
He highlighted the two countries’ long-standing traditional ties and their bonds forged through history, culture and civilisation, as well as similarities in their foreign policies and shared development vision. He affirmed that Vietnam is an important pillar of India’s Act East policy.

The two PMs welcomed the significant progress made in Vietnam-India ties. They noted that the 2024-2028 Action Programme and the outcomes of Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit are being actively implemented, and agreed to maintain the current strong momentum and high level of political trust.

They also agreed to maintain regular exchanges and coordination between the leaders of the two countries on bilateral, regional and international issues, looking ahead to the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.

The two leaders agreed that Vietnam and India are among the world’s fastest-growing economies and have highly complementary strengths, with substantial untapped potential for cooperation. They expressed determination to step up measures to achieve the target of 25 billion USD in bilateral trade at an early date and facilitate market access for products from both countries, particularly pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, fisheries and livestock products.

PM Hung proposed that the two sides establish economic corridors and supply chains to enhance connectivity between their economies, consider launching negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), and work actively with ASEAN member states to accelerate the completion of the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).

He welcomed major Indian corporations to invest in Vietnam in such areas as technology, infrastructure, energy and pharmaceuticals.

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The directive by General Secretary and State President Lam reflects a shift in Vietnam’s development mindset, in line with the Politburo’s Resolution 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 on breakthroughs in sci-tech, innovation and national digital transformation. For the first time, sci-tech has been placed at the very centre as a driver of growth model.

Over the past years, global integration has opened Vietnam’s doors to new markets, capital, technology, and resources essential for its growth. Step by step, that same integration has become the engine quietly stockpiling the country’s strength through decades of reform.

Speaking at the recent 33rd Diplomatic Conference, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam drew a stark new battle line: science and technology are now transforming production, governance, and the balance of power. Artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotech, digital infrastructure, and new energy are delivering both opportunities and new risks. Nations that command technology, data, and a quality workforce will pull ahead while those that hesitate will be left further behind.

Against that backdrop, he assigned the diplomatic sector a hard new mission: sci-tech diplomacy must become a regular task. That means building networks of technology partners, linking research institutes, universities, enterprises, and experts, and scanning the horizon for new trends, standards, and policies, all to channel the right knowledge and technologies back into Vietnam. Diplomacy is no longer just about chasing capital; it must hunt knowledge, talents, and world-class best practices.

Institutional framework to unlock knowledge and technology

The directive by General Secretary and State President Lam reflects a shift in Vietnam’s development mindset, in line with the Politburo’s Resolution 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 on breakthroughs in sci-tech, innovation and national digital transformation. For the first time, sci-tech has been placed at the very centre as a driver of growth model.

Resolution 57-NQ/TW identifies global cooperation in sci-tech, innovation and digital transformation as one of seven major groups of solutions, standing shoulder to shoulder with institutional reform, infrastructure, and workforce development. It demands deeper collaboration in research, acquisition, transfer and mastery of advanced technologies in priority areas, while setting a target of attracting at least three of the world’s leading tech corporations to set up headquarters in Vietnam by 2030. The resolution also ties technology mastery directly to workforce training, aiming to lift Vietnamese enterprises and lock domestic firms more deeply into global value chains.

On January 24, 2025, the Politburo’s Resolution 59-NQ/TW on global integration in the new situation sharpened the edge even further: for the first time, global integration in science, technology and innovation was carved out as an independent solution group, treated on equal footing with economic and political-defence-security integration. Then, on May 19, 2026, the Politburo’s Resolution 06-NQ/TW on the foreign policy orientations set by the 14th National Party Congress cemented the breakthrough role of “sci-tech diplomacy” in powering the transformation of the growth model, digital overhaul and green transition.

Expanding access to knowledge and technology

Building on these broad orientations, the current task is to expand cooperation while turning foreign affairs into concrete outcomes in terms of knowledge, technology, resources and domestic development muscle. This is the exact approach the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) is pursuing in sci-tech diplomacy.

Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan called sci-tech diplomacy a pioneering tool to sharpen the economy’s internal capacity and competitiveness. Under Resolutions 57 and 06, integration and diplomacy, including sci-tech diplomacy, now stand alone as strategic breakthroughs, treated on an equal footing with economic and political-security integration.

Recent numbers show that high-level diplomacy is producing concrete results. Vietnam maintained its 44th position among 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index, while information and communications technology (ICT) exports rocketed to 174.2 billion USD. At the same time, heavyweights like Qualcomm, Samsung, Marvell, and Synopsys are aggressively scaling up inside Vietnam. The minister pointed straight at this as hard evidence that deeper global cooperation in sci-tech and innovation works.

Drawing on that track record, Quan said mastering strategic technologies requires a shift from merely accessing technology to actively shaping it. The ministry has proposed tight coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), leveraging the entire network of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, with a focus on five core tasks.

First, Vietnam should aggressively harvest international experience for sci-tech, innovation, and digital transformation policymaking. While building policies on strategic technologies, the ministry studied the playbooks of the US, China, and other advanced economies. To set financial norms for strategic tech, for example, it benchmarked Singapore’s practices and built pay packages that rival what Singapore offers to scientists, creating a magnet for top talent. At the same time, sci-tech task management has been overhauled, rewarding final outputs over paperwork. Hard milestones now track the progress and results of technology tasks.

The minister also made clear that the MOST intends to lock arms with the MOFA to keep identifying technology partners, especially deep-tech players hunting for investment opportunities inside Vietnam.

On the pull for global technology capital and talent, Quan stressed the need to unlock cash from international investment funds. The focus is approaching and encourging tech investment funds to plant their operations in Vietnam. International capital will act as a critical lever for incubating startups in tough technology fields like biotechnology, new materials, and other advanced technologies, he said.

He singled out the global hunt for sci-tech talents as a top mission demanding tight coordination with the MOFA. That means ditching the old administrative approach to attracting overseas experts, intellectuals, and scientists. Under the new playbook, the State won’t do the recruiting. Instead, it will build the enabling mechanisms, handing research institutes, universities, and business networks far greater power to pull in and deploy talents on their own terms.

At the same time, Vietnam needs to blow up siloed mindset and the central-local divide that hampers talent recruitment and use. The goal is a wide-open, flexible innovation ecosystem designed to lure leading chief engineers, scientists, and overseas Vietnamese intellectuals home to drive major national projects. The MOST is already assembling a global network of Vietnamese AI experts, putting experts and scientists at the controls of designing and operating large-scale systems.

“Sci-tech diplomacy can’t stop at handshakes and connections. Its bottom line must be the technological capabilities actually transferred, new markets cracked open, and the country’s self-reliance hardened”, Quan affirmed.

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To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation have successfully concluded state visits to Australia and New Zealand from August 9 to 14, at the invitations of Governor-General of Australia Sam Mostyn and Governor-General of New Zealand Cindy Kiro.

With concrete and substantive cooperation outcomes, the visits achieved their objectives to a high degree, expanding the space for cooperation and providing strong momentum to elevate relations between Viet Nam and Australia and New Zealand — Viet Nam’s comprehensive strategic partners in the South Pacific — to a new level. Cooperation outcomes in such areas as the economy, science and technology, innovation, and green transition demonstrate efforts to turn diplomatic achievements into essential strength and resources for national development.

General Secretary and President To Lam’s first visits to Australia and New Zealand in his new capacity mark a historic milestone, affirming the high importance the Party and State of Viet Nam attach to promoting relations with the two South Pacific partners. These relationships that have been painstakingly nurtured for more than half a century, overcoming the challenges posed by geographical distance and the passage of time. The visits also helped strengthen ties between General Secretary and President To Lam and the leaders of the two friendly countries, thereby creating more favourable conditions for Viet Nam and its partners to enhance cooperation and connectivity, continue to accompany and support one another, and jointly navigate profound changes in the regional and global situation, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development around the world.

General Secretary and President To Lam’s state visit to Australia set out strategic orientations and practical frameworks for the Viet Nam–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new period.

The friendship and fruitful cooperation between Viet Nam and Australia have demonstrated remarkable resilience over time. The new context and development goals of both countries make it imperative to continue elevating bilateral relations to a new level. General Secretary and President To Lam’s state visit to Australia set out strategic orientations and practical frameworks for the Viet Nam–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new period.

The two countries issued three joint statements: the Joint Statement on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Australia; the Joint Statement on Economic Resilience Cooperation; and especially, the Joint Statement on the Enhancement of Science, Technology, and Innovation Connectivity between two countries. The latter opens a new model of cooperation, moving from technology transfer towards joint development in areas regarded as key drivers of Viet Nam’s development in the new era.

During his talks and meetings with Australian leaders, General Secretary and President To Lam stressed that Australia is a friend and trusted partner with many strategic interests in common with Viet Nam. Viet Nam values Australia’s companionship and support throughout the country’s development process and wishes to make bilateral relations increasingly substantive, in-depth, and effective. Both sides expressed confidence that the foundation of political trust, increasingly intertwined interests, and new drivers of cooperation would usher Viet Nam–Australia relations into a deeper phase of development, bringing practical benefits to the people and businesses of both countries.

Meanwhile, Viet Nam and New Zealand also enjoy close and effective partnership relations based on more than 50 years of friendship and shared values, including a commitment to peace and sustainable development.

Viet Nam and New Zealand’s joint statement noted that General Secretary and President To Lam and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reviewed the achievements made in bilateral relations since the two countries elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2025. The two sides reaffirmed the solid foundation of Viet Nam–New Zealand relations, while agreeing to maintain high-level political contacts and strengthen coordination at multilateral forums to help reinforce the rules-based system.

Talks and meetings between General Secretary and President To Lam and New Zealand leaders all emphasised the need to make greater use of the complementarities between the two economies. The two sides agreed to expand economic and trade cooperation; effectively utilise free trade agreements to which both countries are parties, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); promote trade facilitation; and open markets to each other’s key agricultural products.

The determination to strengthen business connectivity between the two countries, creating a foundation and equipping Viet Nam and New Zealand to move confidently into a new period of development, was clearly reflected in General Secretary and President To Lam’s remarks at the New Zealand-Viet Nam business roundtable. General Secretary and President To Lam affirmed that the success of Viet Nam-New Zealand economic cooperation would not be measured solely by trade turnover or the number of projects, but by the quality of connectivity, technological content, the extent of participation in new value chains, and the tangible benefits delivered to businesses and people in both countries.

With a series of significant outcomes, General Secretary and President To Lam’s state visits to Australia and New Zealand, together with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, marked a milestone in the development of Viet Nam’s relations with its two South Pacific partners, helping strengthen political trust and promote dynamic and effective cooperation.

At the multilateral level, Viet Nam and its South Pacific partners reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation on regional and international issues. As an active, proactive, and responsible member of ASEAN, Viet Nam pledged to continue serving as a bridge connecting ASEAN with Australia and New Zealand.

With a series of significant outcomes, General Secretary and President To Lam’s state visits to Australia and New Zealand together with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation marked a milestone in the development of Viet Nam’s relations with its two South Pacific partners, helping strengthen political trust and promote dynamic and effective cooperation. The visits also conveyed a message of appreciation and determination to nurture the longstanding friendship between Viet Nam and the two friendly countries, enabling diplomacy to fulfil its mission in the new era of creating space for development, connecting resources, and enhancing national strength for the country’s future, while also contributing to peace, stability, security, and development in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.

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The state visits by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President To Lam to Australia and New Zealand from August 9-14 have created fresh momentum for elevating Viet Nam’s relations with the two countries, while opening up new avenues for cooperation in science and technology, innovation, education, trade, investment and sustainable development, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said.

The trip was made at the invitation of Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn and New Zealand Governor-General Cindy Kiro and marked General Secretary and President Lam’s first state visits to the two countries in his new position.

According to Trung, the visits demonstrated the Vietnamese Party and State’s high regard for the two important partners, while creating fresh momentum to translate the new partnership frameworks into deeper, more substantive and effective cooperation based on closer coordination, joint efforts and co-creation.

The visits were highly successful, with their objectives achieved to a high degree. Talks and meetings with high-ranking leaders, political figures, businesses, scholars and people in both countries took place in an atmosphere of trust, openness and substance.

Australian and New Zealand leaders reaffirmed the importance they attach to relations with Viet Nam and spoke highly of the country’s development achievements, its leadership vision and its growing role and standing in the region and the international arena. They stressed that amid the complex and unpredictable developments in the world and the region, as well as growing development requirements in each country, closer cooperation between Viet Nam and Australia and New Zealand has become increasingly important in minimising adverse impacts and supporting each other in national development. A number of important cooperation documents and agreements were signed, providing an additional foundation for implementing the major orientations reached during the visits.

A key outcome was the strengthening of political trust and the creation of new impetus for bilateral ties. Alongside political and diplomatic cooperation, Viet Nam and the two countries agreed to step up security and defence cooperation and contribute to peace, stability and development in the region.

New growth drivers identified by General Secretary and President Lam during this trip included science and technology, innovation, education and training, high-quality human resources, trade, investment, green transformation, critical minerals, high-tech agriculture and the marine economy. These areas are expected to expand Viet Nam’s strategic space, help mobilise external resources for national development, and further the country’s relations with Australia and New Zealand in a deeper, and more practical and effective manner.

With Australia, cooperation was advanced in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, digital transformation, critical minerals, energy transition and high-quality human resources. The TechConnect Forum created additional links among governments, businesses, universities and research institutions, providing a foundation for joint research, innovation and value creation.

With New Zealand, the focus was placed on areas where the two economies are highly complementary, particularly education and training, human resources development, high-tech agriculture and sustainable development. The Viet Nam-New Zealand education forum and newly signed agreements helped strengthen links among management agencies, businesses and educational institutions, while promoting agricultural market access, smart agriculture and climate change adaptation.

Economic cooperation was also viewed from a broader perspective throughout the week-long trip, moving beyond trade and investment expansion toward stronger supply-chain connectivity, improved conditions for businesses and better utilisation of the complementary strengths of the economies.

General Secretary and President Lam and leaders of Australia and New Zealand agreed to encourage businesses to increase cooperation and investment in each other, particularly in emerging sectors suited to their respective strengths.

The Vietnamese leader also paid special attention to the Vietnamese communities in Australia and New Zealand, particularly intellectuals, experts and entrepreneurs. He met and listened to community representatives, reaffirming that overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation and an important resource for national development.

Trung assessed that the visits generated both greater political depth and broader cooperation opportunities, constituting an important diplomatic milestone in implementing the foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, set out by the 14th National Party Congress.

Looking ahead, Viet Nam will work with Australia and New Zealand to translate the outcomes of the visits into concrete programmes and projects. In political and diplomatic relations, the countries will intensify high-level and multi-level exchanges through Party and parliamentary channels, thereby opening a new stage in bilateral ties.

A total of 62 cooperation documents and agreements were signed during the visits. Among them were three important joint statements between Viet Nam and Australia on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership, strengthening economic resilience and adaptability, and enhancing connectivity in science, technology and innovation. The foreign minister highlighted the significance of the joint statement on science, technology and innovation connectivity, which represents a new model of cooperation that goes beyond technology transfer toward joint research, co-development and co-creation of value.

Viet Nam and Australia are expected to quickly translate new cooperation orientations in AI, semiconductors, digital transformation, critical minerals, energy and green transition into specific programmes and projects, while strengthening links among governments, businesses, universities and research institutes.

With New Zealand, Viet Nam will further capitalise on economic complementarities, focusing on education and training, high-quality human resources, high-tech agriculture, agricultural market access, science and technology, innovation, green transition and sustainable development.

The Vietnamese Government, ministries, sectors and localities will closely coordinate in developing action programmes based on high-level agreements, with clear tasks, focal points, timelines and responsibilities. Practical benefits for people and businesses will serve as the ultimate goal, while effectiveness and concrete results will be the key measures of success, Trung stated.

At the multilateral level, Viet Nam will step up strategic consultations and policy coordination with Australia and New Zealand within the framework of ASEAN, the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and at other regional and international forums. It will work with the two countries to promote dialogue, build trust, uphold international law, and contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

With strong political determination and close coordination among agencies, localities, businesses and partners, the outcomes of the top leader’s state visits are expected to be rapidly transformed into concrete programmes, projects and achievements, giving fresh impetus to Viet Nam-Australia and Viet Nam-New Zealand relations and contributing to Viet Nam’s development in the new era, the foreign minister added.

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